Lincoln's Evolving Views on Slavery and the Emancipation Proclamation

Evolving Perspectives on Slavery (1861-1862): Union infantrymen's letters home frequently discussed slavery, especially after soldiers witnessed plantation life in the Deep South for the first time. This direct exposure caused their understanding and views on slavery to evolve.

Lincoln's Shifting Stance:

• By the middle of the Civil War, Lincoln and most combatants unequivocally viewed the war as being about slavery.

• This shift influenced Lincoln's motivation to issue an Emancipation Proclamation.

• In the spring of 1862, Lincoln initially doubted a future for Black people in America.

Rescinded Emancipation in Missouri (1862):

• A Union general fighting in Missouri issued an emancipation proclamation in several counties after a decisive battle.

• Lincoln rescinded this general's proclamation, indicating his thinking was still evolving on the timing and scope of emancipation.

Legal and Strategic Basis for Emancipation:

• Contraband of War: Lincoln used a military strategy treating enslaved people as